Getty Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets and Bam Adebayo of the Miam Heat.
It seems that every time a star player becomes available, the Miami Heat are amongst the teams who are interested in striking a deal. Things were no different when news broke of Kyrie Irving requesting a trade from the Brooklyn Nets.
Breaking: Brooklyn Nets All-Star Kyrie Irving has requested a trade, league sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The franchise has been informed that Irving prefers to move on ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline – or will leave in free agency in July.
NBA Insider Marc Stein reported that Pat Riley and the Heat are expect to “register interest” in the disgruntled Nets star.
“It is widely assumed around the league that Pat Riley’s Miami Heat, never afraid of a dice roll or reclamation project, will also register interest,” Stein wrote in his February 3 newsletter.
Like Stein, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst listed Miami amongst teams that could make a move for Irving.
“The trade there would be Kyle Lowry, would be my guess. Again, the issue there, I’m not sure the Nets are crazy about taking on the $30 million on Kyle Lowry’s contract,” Windhorst said live on ESPN.
Brian Windhorst says the Mavs and Heat are other teams to look out that could trade for Kyrie Irving:
Irving has appeared in 40 of Brooklyn’s 51 games this season. He’s averaged 27.1 points, 5.3 assists, and 5.1 rebounds, while shooting 48.6% from the field, and 37.4% from deep.
Those numbers were good enough to see the 30-year-old be as an All-Star starter alongside Kevin Durant, his Nets teammate (for now).
The duo hasn’t been able to have the success that many predicted that they would, since teaming up in Brooklyn back in 2019. Irving and Durant were expected to dominate the Eastern Conference for years to come, but never even made it past the second round in the playoffs.
Durant missed the pair’s entire first season together as he recovered from an Achilles injury in 2020. In the next season, the Nets fell to the eventual NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks, and then the year after got swept by Irving’s old team, the Boston Celtics.
Heat Amongst Favorites to Land Kyrie Irving
Of course, shortly after reports surfaced of Irving’s trade request, oddsmakers got to work and decided which teams had the best chance to land the former No. 1 overall pick.
Surprisingly, Miami was included amongst the favorites to swing a trade for Irving. When the odds were released, the Heat opened as second-favorites at +300, only trailing the Los Angeles Lakers, who had odds of +200.
Since then, the board has shifted, and the odds of Irving landing in South Beach sit at +700, according to BetOnline.
Heat Fans Weigh In On Possible Kyrie Irving Trade
Once the the news circulated online, Heat fans took to Twitter to weigh on the possibility of Irving being trade to Miami.
Heat Nation, a fan-run Twitter account, tweeted, “There’s off the court stuff with Kyrie Irving…but basketball-wise, the Heat NEED a player like him. Plus Irving was interested in Miami before…”
There’s off the court stuff with Kyrie Irving… but basketball-wise, the Heat NEED a player like him.
Plus Irving was interested in Miami before…
Other Heat supporters swarmed to the initial tweet to chime in on the conversation.
“Rico” (@johnny_roro24) said, “If the Heat could trade for Kyrie that would be a match made in Heaven.”
@HeatvsHaters If the Heat could trade for Kyrie that would be a match made in Heaven
“The Loungin’ Lawyer” (@RoccTheMike) shared his excitement, “This really is a best case scenario. Pat (Riley) would be outbidding one team (the Lakers), two teams max (Clippers though they’ve never been rumored), and should still have the assets left to acquire the stretch four Miami covets. L.A. has also been extremely stingy with the first-round picks. Do the deal!”
@HeatvsHaters This really is a best case scenario. Pat would be outbidding 1 team (the lakers), 2 teams max (Clippers though they’ve never been rumored), and should still have the assets left to acquire the stretch 4 Miami covets. LA has also been extremely stingy with the FRP’s. Do the deal!